Let's Pretend
by SpoiledLiLAmy
Summary: *COMPLETED* Max uses Alec to make Logan jealous but how much of their attraction is pretend? Max/Alec!!!!!!
1. Heartbreaker

TITLE: Let's Pretend  
RATING: PG-16 (I make my own ratings)  
PAIRING: Max/Alec   
SUMMARY: Max uses Alec to make Logan jealous but is it just pretend?  
DISCLAIMER: Not mine..... the writing would be a hell of a lot better if I was affiliated with Dark Angel and crew. Why? Beacause I would be getting paid. I think that's reason enough don't you?  
DEDICATION: To Jillybean who used my characters in her story! Gives me a major happy! Go read it now! Series X6! Guess which 1s r mine! oooo this is fun!  
AUTHORS NOTE: I hate my English teacher! Stupid woman has to go give me a D on a paper which I worked very hard on by the way and then give me a B on my report card.... my ONLY B!!!! So every1 review and show her that I'm a great writer and she can kiss my ass. She hates me cauz I'm prettier!  
  
~~~  
  
_Heartbreaker you got the best of me  
  
But I just keep on coming back incessantly  
  
Oh why did you have to run your game on me  
  
I should have known right from the start   
  
You'd go and break my heart  
  
~Mariah Carey~Heartbreaker~_  
  
~~~  
  
Max trugged down the streets holding a old black umbrella that looked one breeze away from destruction over her head. She hated the rain. Hated the wet, hated the cold, hated the boredom. She was bored out of her mind and the umbrella was providing very little protection against the torential rain. She had opted to walk instead of dragging her motorcycle out into this hellish weather but was quickly coming to regret her decision.   
  
A figure ran up and fell in step next to her for the little shelter the umbrella offered. His hair was soaking wet and clumps flopped down to obscure his eyes.   
  
"I hate the rain," he muttered, "So where are we going?"  
  
"Logan's," Max replied eyeing her companion uneasily, "You're wet." she said with distaste.  
  
"Quite the perseptive one aren't we Maxie?" he shot turning to look at her. Max's eyes locked with the blue one's of her umbrella-mate and she laughed.  
  
"You're such a loser Alec," she said through her laughter, "What the hell are you doing out in this weather?"   
  
Alec smiled, "I was bored. Needed some action and figuered you're the one to deliver it to me." He winced as a gust of wind sent a cold colum of rain slamming into his face. "Do you have to be so friggin stingy with the umbrella?" he wined.  
  
"Uh yeah it's mine isn't it?" Max replied pealing Alec's fingers off of the handel as he attempted to obtain more of the covering for himself.  
  
"Just a little!" he pleaded, "I ran through the rain for blocks and now your denying me this little comfort?"  
  
"I'm cold, I'm wet, and I'm not in the mood for this Alec," she warned, once more moving his hand away from the silver rod to which the umbrella was attached.  
  
"So am I!" he shouted, finally managing to pry the umbreall from her hands. Max screwed up her face as the rain soaked her entire person in the few seconds she was in the open. The contraption had obviously been doing a better job than she thought.  
  
"Give it back!" she demanded, punching Alec in the stomach, hoping he'd loosen his grip. He doubled over but failed to surrender the umbrella.  
  
"It's mine!" Max shouted in reminder as he sped off towards Logan's at a jog.   
  
"And you're wet already so what good's it gonna do you?" he called back.  
  
"You're as wet if not wetter than me!" Max wailed. She quickly caught up to him and tackled him to the ground. Alec thrashed wildly trying to keep his balence but when he relized that wasn't going to happen he latched hold of Max's jacket, determined to take her down with him. Max wobbeled on the curb for several seconds before splashing down in a particularly large and dirty puddle. Her fall was cushioned slightly by Alec who had already fallen and was soaking up the nasty water of the puddle.   
  
Max turned to see Alec's face contorted in devilish glee, "That was great!" he crowed, "A Kodak moment to rival all others!"  
  
"Oh really?" Max asked, false sweetness cloaking her voice, "I think I got one to give it a run for it's money." She threw herself at him causing him to fall back onto his back. She cupped some of the water in her hands, figuring that she was already waterlogged enough to make her look like a prune for days and this would be so worth it. She let the dirty water trickle onto his face but stopped before she had used it all. Alec sputtered and wiped his eyes and the second he opened his mouth to say something she let the rest of the water pour down into his open mouth.   
  
Alec lept up coughing and spitting frantically, "You bitch!" he shouted wiping his mouth on his soaking sleve.   
  
"Picture perfect," Max drawled, her voice high and sing-song in quality. Alec glared and lunged for her. Max let out a loud burst of laughter and ran all the way to Logan's, Alec close on her heels. She opened the door quickly and slid inside locking it behinde her.  
  
She sqeezed some of the excess water out of her hair and slipped off her boots in a vain attempt to keep the floor dry. She padded into the main room and stopped dead in her tracks.  
  
Logan stood in the center of the room engaged in a serious looking lip-lock with a blonde girl. Max watched the couple for several seconds, her eyes pain filled orbs. She let out a strangeled sob at the betrayal and turned feeling blindly for the door.  
  
"Max?" Logan asked, breaking away from his companion, dread filling him. He hadn't heard her come in. He saw wet footprints leading to the front door of the apartment and stopped when he saw Max's boots leaning against the door.  
~~~  
Alec raised his hand to bang on the door when it flew open. Max stummbeled out of the apartment, shoeless and hysterical. She brushed past him heading off to who knows where. Sad sounds of loss came from her in the form of whimpers.  
  
Alec stood confused in the hallway watching her retreating back, deciding whether to give chase when the door flew open once again. This time Logan ran out. Alec extended one arm and successfully ahlted the older man's progress. "Max!" the man called, his eyes wild.  
  
"What the fuck did you do now old man?" Alec demanded but his answer came when Asha appeared by Logan's shoulder. "You bastard," Alec spat before turning and running after Max.  
~~~  
Max had no idea where she was going. She was just running. Running somewhere away from here. Rain pelted her and her thin socks were torn to shreds by rocks and bits of broken glass and her feet were taking quite a beating as well but she refused to stop and asess the damage. Her sadness and disappointment had long since given way to pure unadulterated rage, before she had shed a single tear.  
  
She reconized Joshua's house off to her left and she ran for it stummbeling on her way there and loosing her footing.  
~~~  
Alec had guessed this would be her destination and felt a slight surge of relief when he caught sight of her. Unfortunatly she was sprawled on the ground. Alec ran up to her slipping his arm around her shoulder's and helping her to her feet and into the house.   
  
He let her go, relizing that she could stand on her own and pushed the door closed against the howling wind. Max stripped off her ruind gloves and threw them at the wall, then unsatisfied by the wet thump they made rather than the loud bang she wanted she threw herself at the wall kicking it violently.  
  
"That asshole!" She shouted, punctuating each word with a kick, "That. Fucking. Asshole."  
  
Once she had sufficiently beaten up the wall she rested her head against it. Alec took a few cautious steps towards her but halted when she spun around to face him.   
  
"I thought he loved me! I thought I loved him! I tohught..... I thought that I could trust him! He insisted he didn't need anyone else! I was his one and only. His one and fucking only!" she yelled. Her voice died off and she stood alone, breathing heavily. Alec's eyes probed hers and he saw the volumes of pain this event had caused. He watched as she approached him and began beating her fists on his cheast. Her shouting strated up again but was quickly replaced by loud hiccupping sobs. Her punches grew weak and half hearted as she cried. Alec grabbed her wrists and she lowered them to her sides. He then extended his arms, inviting not demanding. Max stepped into his embrace thankfully, burying her tear stained face in the crook of his neck as her shoulders heaved with heart-wrenching sobs. whispered comforting nothings into her hair and rocked her back and forth.   
  
The pair remained in this position for several minutes until Max's tears died off and finally came to a stop. Alec looked at her with her puffy red eyes and wet face and hair and smiled. Max nodded and stepped out of his arms, her breathing returning to normal and the adrenilin quickly flowing from her body.   
  
Joshua, who had been watching the entire scene, approached them. He was obviously confused and scared for his friends. Max laughed and pulled him in for a hug. Alec watched them a smirk on his face.  
  
"The two of you make quite the couple," he taunted. Max released Joshua and casually flicked Alec off.   
  
"Now if you two'll excuse me I need a shower," she said, "You got some extra clothes here don't you?" she asked Alec. He nodded and gestured towards a cabinet in the corner. Max grabbed a pair of his boxers and a grey tee before waltzing off into the bathroom.  
~~~  
Max, Alec, and Joshua sat huddled in front of Joshua's T.V. watching an old B-rated horror movie and munching on various snacks they had been able to scavage from the pantry. Max and Alec had both showered and were wearing identical shirts and boxers. Max got up from her seat and winced slightly as her feet touched the floor. Alec shot her a concerned glance and got up to steady her. He looked down and noticed the sorry condition her feet were in.   
  
"You could've mentioned this you know," he repremanded as he dragged out a first aide kit he had thought to put together a couple months ago. He forced her to sit once more and took her foot into his lap. He used an antiseptic to clean the multiple cuts and bruises which moteled her feet and wrapped them in white bandages.  
  
"You make a good nurse," Max said, amking no move to take her foot out of his lap. Alec smiled and used his thumb to trace small circles on her ankle. Max inhaled sharply and Alec felt a surge of pleasure. He had caused that. He looked up to meet her gaze and froze. She was lonley and hurt. She didn't really want him and he wasn't going to take advantage of her. He wasn't that big of a jerk.   
  
"So we've cried, showered, watched T.V, and played doctor..... what's next?" he asked shakily. An evil smile lit up Max's face.   
  
"Revenge of course!" she said, "I want him to know that I'm not hurt by what he did. I want him to hurt. Worse."  
  
"And what exactly do you have in mind?" he asked suspisiously, not likeing the way she was eyeing him.  
  
"You're going to pretend to be my boyfriend. Like we were together for a while going behind his back just like he was going behind mine." she replied.  
  
"And why would I go along with this?" Alec asked, still debating whether to stick to the role of a loyal friend who knew this was wrong or go along with it. He had already made his dicision really but he kept going for appearance's sake. This was going to be fun.  
  
"You get to see Logan squirm," she suggested hopefully. Alec smiled inwardly at this thought but kept his face stoic.  
  
"Now you see I dunno if I'm cool with the whole using me to make Logan jealous idea. Cause I'm the better man here and I should be the one girls want to make jealous." he drawled.  
  
"I'll pay you," Max offered. Bingo! Alec thought happily and stuck out his hand.  
  
"You got a deal!" he said and they shook on it.   
  
"Paybacks a bitch Logan," Max said with a grin, "And her name's Max."  
  
~~~  
REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
~~~  



	2. Rescue

TITLE: Let's Pretend  
RATING: PG-16 (I make my own ratings)  
PAIRING: Max/Alec   
SUMMARY: Max uses Alec to make Logan jealous but is it just pretend?  
DISCLAIMER: Not mine..... the writing would be a hell of a lot better if I was affiliated with Dark Angel and crew. Why? Beacause I would be getting paid. I think that's reason enough don't you?  
DEDICATION: To Jillybean who used my characters in her story! Gives me a major happy! Go read it now! Series X6! Guess which 1s r mine! oooo this is fun!  
AUTHORS NOTE: Ok update with the English teacher..... it's gotten worse. The woman moves me up to the front of the room right in front of her desk because of my "bad attitude". So now I'm up at the front with all the weirdos but I guess it is a step up from my last seat where I was next to a kid who picked his nose and licked his arm all period. He seriously sat there sucking on his arm and then he would go lean over and his spitty little arm would sorta travel onto my desk so I had to scoot over to the very edge of the desk and the teacher (who knew all this was going on) yells at me to get back in my seat! And what have I learned this year? How her husband proposed, what type of dog she has, where she's going on vacation, the score of every Terp game (U of Maryland bball team), and how her parents met! Much of this I am trying despretly to repress. Oh and today she made a comment about how she bet I was a cute little kid and asked me if I had blonde pigtails when I was little! What kind of bizarre woman asks something like that?  
  
~~~  
  
_Like Jessica Rabbit she collects bad habits  
  
Gets her drinks for free  
  
Animated vixen stole Cupid's arrow and came to rescue me  
  
In the blink of an eyelid  
  
My lid opened up and I could see  
  
That she'd come to rescue me_  
  
~Rescue~Eve6~  
  
~~~  
  
Max dropped a particularly heavy box and it hit the floor with a resounding thump.  
"I said you could sleep on my sofa not knock down the house," Alec shouted from the ajoinging room. He had agreed to let Max move in with him for appearances sake. They had decided to go all out in their little charade and then break it off in front of everyone in one big loud finale. Alec clompped into the room and shuffeled though her boxes.  
"How bad was it exactly?" he asked. Though he hadn't stated it Max knew what he was talking about.  
"Like they were trying to lick each other's toes through their mouths. Full frontal snogging." she said with a grimace, "Now please stop I'm trying to repress."  
Alec laughed and Max looked up for the first time since he entered the room, "Where'd your shirt go?" she askednoticing that he was clad only in jeans, "You walk around like that often?"  
"Why?" Alec asked with a smirk, "S'bother you?" Max took in the lean cheast and decided that it definatly didn't bother her but she decided to reply with a noncommital grunt instead.  
  
Alec flopped down on the couch and flipped on his T.V.  
"That's my bed now," Max reminded him.  
"Before it was your bed it was my couch," Alec deadpanned and fixed his attention on the screen. Max glared at his back before getting back to the chore of unpacking her belongings. She had fed OC the same line that she had fed the others. I'm living with Alec now. We've been secretly dating for months and we just can't keep it a secret any more. Max oculd hardly keep herself from gagging when she said this but judging by everyone's reaction she made a good actress. The only one left to find out was Logan. And he was going to find out the hard way. Not by being nicely informed.  
"You know it wouldn't kill you to get of your sorry ass and help a little," Max growled at the blonde on the sofa.  
"Wouldn't do me a hell of alot of good either would it," Alec replied, "And you may wanna be careful Maxie. You seem awful fixated on that portion of my anatomy. Keep it up and I may start to think you really like me."   
"What are you talking about?" Max asked suspiously.   
"My ass," Alec clarified, "You're gonna smack my ass, kick my ass, force me off my ass...... really making me wonder."  
Max let out a sharp bark of laughter, "Like you?! I like you about as much as I like a cockroach!"  
"Look at that I'm moving up the foodchain. Last week I was a maggot," Alec sneered.  
"Keep it up and you might find yourself back at that level," Max warned.  
Alec ignored her last comment, too engrossed in trying to see his ass. "I can see why you like it so much," he said with a grin, "It's just so damn sexy."  
"You're a potato!" Max shouted, "Now you're a potato! I think that's about as low as you can get on the foodchain don't you?"  
"Do you like potatos" Alec inquired.  
"Only mashed."  
"Am I mashed?"  
"No but keep it up and you may be bloody." Alec pursed his lips and walked over grabbing a box picking it up and setting it down in the next room exaggerating all his movements much to Max's annoyance."  
  
"Look who's helping," he said dryly.  
"Good now shut up and we might actually finish before bed," Max snapped  
  
~~~  
  
Max and Alec sat in a fastfood resturant on their first pretend date. They had finished Max's unpacking relatively quickly after they had stopped talking to each other and Max had suggested the outting as a practice before they went out with their friends.  
"Behave will you," Max pleaded noticing that Alec was beginging to get antsy.  
"I don't like sitting still this long," he said, "can't we just eat and leave?"  
Max sighed and went up to order their food while Alec made a tower out of the sugar packets. "Quite the talented little man aren't we," Max teased when she came back.  
"I thought so," he replied eyeing his creation proudly, the sarcasm zooming over his head. Max shoved the large meal he had requested in front of him and cringed as he began to wolf it down.  
Alec noticed her reaction and shook his head slowly, "You're not going to criticize my table manners are you? 'Cause if you are I'm gonna start the whole breaking up scene a couple weeks earlier than planned."  
"I'm not," Amx said defensively, "I was just going to suggest you eat one thing at a time. You know so you don't CHOKE!"  
"Are you always this controlling?" Alec demanded letting his burger fall to the tray, "'Cause if you are I'm starting to see why you can be gorgeous and still fail to get laid."  
  
Max sat fuming silently when an elderly couple approached them.  
"Relationship problems?" the woman asked Max sympatheically.  
"Oh no. No! Alec and I we're- we're very much in love just practicing for a-uh a debate! Isn't that right honey?" Max prompted, staring pointedly at Alec.  
"Oh uh yeah a debate-," Alec stammered shooting Max a what-the-hell-is-your-problem-you-spaz look. Max stommped on his foot and he winced "Uh - fuzz muffin he added quickly."   
The couple gave them strained smiles and quickly hurried off.  
"What the hell was that about? We didn't have to pretend for them!" Alec shouted, reaching down to massage his sore foot.  
"If we can't fool a pair of strangers how are we going to fool our friends?" Max pointed out.  
Alec shrugged and picked up his burger again. The pair finished their meal in silence and got up to leave.  
Alec held out Max's jacket and she stared at him questioningly.  
"I'm playing the model boyfriend aren't I?" he asked with a smile.  
Max returned his smile and slipped her arms through the sleves.  
They had reached the door before Max finally spoke, "Fuzz muffin?" she asked with barely concealed amusement. Alec shrugged apoligetically.  
"I panicked," he said defending himself but humor was evident in his voice. Max laughed and slid her hand into his as they headed towards his apartment.  
  
~~~  
REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Gives me a happy and when I'm happy I write more....... see the pattern?  
~~~  
  



	3. Anphetamines

TITLE: Let's Pretend  
RATING: PG-16 (I make my own ratings)   
PAIRING: Max/Alec   
SUMMARY: Max uses Alec to make Logan jealous but is it just pretend?   
DISCLAIMER: Not mine..... the writing would be a hell of a lot better if I was affiliated with Dark Angel and crew. Why? Beacause I would be getting paid. I think that's reason enough don't you?   
DEDICATION: To Emily the very best best friend who knows how 2 throw 1 hell of a surprise party (we're trouble making teens…. Now lets stare at the next person 2 come though the door!!!!! Oh and congrats on becoming school graffiti! Some1 seems 2 think ur hot enough to write about on a desk.) And 2 Leslie who puts up w/me everyday and Sarah… Mulder's gun has a trigger! Lol! luv u guyz!   
AUTHORS NOTE: English teacher rant: I wrote some bout her in my story Toeing the line so check out that authors note if ur trying 2 follow this……. Ok the other day I was eating a lollipop I had fished out of the bottom of my backpack (god knows how long it was in there) and she calls me up to the front of the room. I go up there and she says what r u doing? She's asking me but shes annocing it 2 the class. K I kinda state the obvious and say "I'm eating" She asks why and I ask if she wants me 2 throw it out and she says no! Why the hell did she make such a big deal out of it if shes just gonna let me keep eating it neways? Then the assistant teacher tells my friend not 2 say "I swear to god" cauz my teacher is very religious and doesn't like it! Course I make a point of yelling Oh my god whenever she walks by. (which could get me in a lot of troble but hey I'm already on her shit list y not have some fun?) I was discussing all this with my mom (who agrees that the woman is a loony) and she said that she's probably repressed which is y she talks about her husband so much and I should feel sorry 4 her. I dunno about that but the way I see it is a few years from now I'll be off making millions and she'll still be teaching high school English w/her ugly orthopedic shoes and pants pulled up 2 her boobs in the typical English teacher style.   
AN2: This chapter is pure fluffy fun. They all act a little childish and outa character but I was having fun so I decided to keep it.   
  
~~~   
_Of course the hardest part  
Is letting go  
But you got to or you know  
You'll end up waiting by the   
Phone me once in a while  
Let me know you're all right  
Tell you again that I'm fine  
Then we'll go about our separate lives  
~Eve6~Anphetamines~_  
  
~~~  
  
Alec lay sprawled on the sofa loud music blaring from the headphones perched on his blonde head. Max padded into the room and paused for several seconds contemplating before snatching the headphones from Alec's ears.   
"Jesus Christ!" Alec shouted, "You really shouldn't sneak up on people like that."   
"I didn't SNEAK up on you," Max replied. "I walked. I probably could have stomped and you couldn't have heard when you've got Blink 182 playing live and uncensored in the room!" Alec shot her a forced smile and grabbed his headphones from her.   
"I take it you want the sofa?" he said, more a statement than a question.   
"Well we're in a good mood aren't we?" Max asked impressed that Alec hadn't lashed out at her.   
"Yep and you aren't going to ruin it for me," Alec replied his smile slowly becoming a smirk, "In fact I'm going to break out the hand puppet for tonight's jack off session." Max was caught completely off guard by this and could come up with no witty response. In fact she was seriously wondering whether she would be able to form a coherent sentence for at least three hours. "Oh come on Maxie!" Alec said clearly enjoying her discomfort, "I'm a 20 year old male. That's a synonym for one who beats off."   
After several seconds of embarrassed sputtering Max managed to speak, "You are such a jackass. Just because I live here doesn't mean I want to be informed of your- habits!" Alec watched her smiling smugly.   
"Is our little solider blushing?" he taunted. "Honestly Chipmunk I thought you'd have a higher tolerance for this kind of stuff."   
Max scowled at her blonde roommate and shoved him off the sofa. He dropped gracefully to the floor, obviously having anticipated her attack. "Go!" she ordered, quickly lying on the sofa to prevent him from sitting down again, "And quit it with the retarded pet names. If you can't think of any clever or cute one's just avoid addressing me directly or use my name."   
"Brownie," he suggested only to have a sofa cushion chucked at him by Max.   
"Alright… Tiger," he said after several minutes of thought. Max cocked her head softly whispering the nickname as if getting acquainted with it.   
"Tiger," she said, "…I like it." Alec smiled and started off for the bathroom.   
"Well I'm going to go take a shower now Tiger I'll try to leave ya some hot water but I'm not making any guarantees," he called  
"Max sighed and flicked on the T.V. channel surfing for a while before she became aware of a soft scratching sound. She scanned the room suspiciously and strained her ears to locate the source of the sound.   
"Maaaaaaaaxiiiie," a high singsong voice shouted. She spun around and caught sight of something peeking around the corner of the bathroom door. Max walked towards the bathroom and burst out laughing when she saw what the thing was. A little hand puppet was poking around the corner of the door its crudely formed little hands waving at her wildly. Max sank to her knees choking back the giggles that were wracking her body. She wiped tears from the corners of her eyes and launched herself at the little puppet. She tackled Alec to the ground and they lay next to each other laughing. Max rested her head on the cold tiles of the bathroom floor and studied the puppet.   
"Did you make this?" she asked with a grin turning to face Alec. He nodded and snatched it out of her hands.   
"Just now actually," he said with a smirk. Max's smile slowly faded not quite sure how to take this bit of information.   
"For me?" she asked.   
"Yeah," Alec said with a smile, "You're more fun when you're laughing." He brushed a lock of hair of her face and their eye's locked. They leaned towards each other, still lying on the floor, lips nearly touching when a loud bang on the door brought them back to reality.   
"God damn it!" Alec shouted leaping to his feet. Max blinked torn between the hilarity of Alec's reaction and the shock of what had almost happened. She ran to the door composing herself before flinging it open. Original Cindy stood in the doorway.   
"Hey!" Max cried hugging her friend.   
"Hey Boo!" O.C. replied, "Thought I'd pay my best girl a visit at her new home." She caught sight of Alec pacing behind Max breathing heavily and running his hands through his short blonde hair, "Is our little solider alright Boo?" she whispered nodding towards Alec.   
"Who knows," Max sighed and led Cindy to the sofa, "Come on sit down I'll kick Alec outa here and we can talk." Alec as if having heard the comment turned and spoke, "I'm gonna go take that shower now," he said and wheeled around locking himself in the bathroom. Cindy raised an eyebrow in the direction of the bathroom as Max went over to pick something off the floor. She walked back to the sofa and said down smiling at the ugly little puppet in her hands. Cindy stared at her for several seconds before deciding to go ahead and say what she had come over to say.   
"I know you and pretty boy aren't an item Boo," she informed a shocked Max.   
"Wha- Wh- How?" Max sputtered.   
"Look the two of you have enough UST to keep the whole city lit for months," O.C. explained but Max only looked confused.   
"Unresolved Sexual Tension," she clarified smiling at the expression that got from her friends, "And generally, Boo, when two people of living together the tension has been… resolved." Max sat letting the confession sink in and in the silence the two girls heard a low mumbling.   
  
_She said  
That I'm not the one that she thinks about   
And  
She said it stopped being fun I just bring her down  
I said  
Don't let your future be destroyed by my past  
She said  
Don't let my door hit your ass_  
  
"Is he singing?" Max asked in horror.   
"Sounds like it," Cindy responded, her expression one of amusement. Their eyes locked and they both burst out laughing simultaneously.   
"That's weird in an endearing sorta way," Max gasped once she had gotten herself under control. O.C. nodded and ruffled Max's hair.   
"You ever do decide to hook up with him Boo you got my blessing," she said just before the water shut off. Max and O.C. scrambled back to the sofa just before Alec left the bathroom, shirtless and dripping wet, a cloud of steam rushing out behind him. He looked at O.C. and Max who were a mess of tangled limbs on the couch from their rush to avoid getting caught spying.   
"I interrupt something here?" he asked, "Cause if so I'm thinking threesome." Max flicked him off and O.C. smiled, disentangling herself and heading to the door.   
"I gotta jet I'll see you two later," she called and left the apartment leaving Max and Alec alone. Alec walked over to the corner of the room and swung his legs over a bar, which had been nail to the wall. He dangled there for a while before starting his nightly regimen of curl ups. Max strolled over and watched him.   
"She knows," Max said simply.   
"What the hell do you mean 'she knows'? How could she know anything? D'you tell her?" Alec demanded pausing in his workout to study her.   
"I didn't say a thing. She just said that we didn't act resolved," Max said defensively.   
"What the fuck do you mean resolved?" Alec asked becoming frustrated.   
"Unresolved Sexual Tension. That's what she called it. She said we had a lot of it," Max explained. Alec nodded suddenly understanding. Max caught a glint of silver on his right index finger and she grabbed his hand examining it. Alec glared at her trying to pull his arm back but being upside down he had a definite disadvantage. Max pulled the silver ring off his finger for a closer look.   
"Hey!" Alec protested but Max walked away with it and he was in no mood to go chasing after her. She studied the silver band. It was plain except for his name engraved in delicate lettering around the band. She smiled and slid it onto the chain around her neck.   
"I'm keeping this!" she called. There was no response from the ring's original owner so she flounced off happily to watch T.V.   
  
~~~  
REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   
~~~  
  



	4. So here's your Valentine

TITLE: Let's Pretend  
RATING: PG-16 (I make my own ratings)   
PAIRING: Max/Alec   
SUMMARY: Max uses Alec to make Logan jealous but is it just pretend?   
DISCLAIMER: Not mine..... the writing would be a hell of a lot better if I was affiliated with Dark Angel and crew. Why? Beacause I would be getting paid. I think that's reason enough don't you?   
DEDICATION: To Emily the very best best friend who knows how 2 throw 1 hell of a surprise party (we're trouble making teens…. Now lets stare at the next person 2 come though the door!!!!! Oh and congrats on becoming school graffiti! Some1 seems 2 think ur hot enough to write about on a desk.) And 2 Leslie who puts up w/me everyday and Sarah… Mulder's gun has a trigger! Lol! luv u guyz!   
AUTHORS NOTE: I just finished the movie Picture Perfect which had me sobbing on the sofa it was so damn cute! OMG that was so sweet!!!! I seriously recommend that movie! Awwww! Neways it was sorta like this story with some1 pretending to be some1s boyfriend so if you like this story you should check it out!!!

AN2: ok again with the fluffiness but let me remind you he is being paid and Alec will do damn near anything 4 money. 8oD

  
~~~   
  


When you kiss me are you breathless?

When you touch me do you fall apart?

Do you shiver when you dream?

Is there a pounding in your heart?

When I talk do you hear?

When I cry do you care?

When I wake up in the morning do you want me there?

~You're the Only One That's Real~2gether~

  
  
~~~  
  


"I'm gonna go get ready!" Max shouted as she entered the apartment, lugging several bags. Alec, who was pacing back and forth in front of the sofa, waved her silent. He was listening to someone on the other end of the phone. Max's foot began to tap out I'm-W-a-i-t-i-n-g on the floor.

"Look it isn't that difficult!" Alec shouted into the receiver, "Alright- fine- you' have a crayon you can write this down with?" he ran his free hand through his blonde hair and gave an exasperated sigh, "You know what? Screw it! I'll be down there in a couple of minutes and I'll handle this myself alright?" He clicked the cell phone closed and threw it at the wall. It fell to the floor, miraculously, unharmed. He stormed over to the coat rack and yanked on his jacket.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Max demanded, grabbing the doorknob before he could turn it.

"I've got something I've got to do," Alec explained, carefully peeling her fingers off the doorknob. 

"It's Valentine's day," Max reminded him, her tone a petulant whine, "It's our chance to act coupley in front of Logan!"

"Which we will do," Alec interrupted, "I will meet you at Crash and we will act as coupley as you're demented little heart desires. In the meantime…." He trailed off. Max stepped back and reluctantly let Alec pass. She watched him shut the door behind himself before making her way to the bathroom.

~~~

"He's late," Max snapped, glancing at the wall clock. "Is that thing right?" she demanded of Original Cindy who was sharing the table with her and Sketchy.

"Yes Boo. For the fourth time tonight… the clock is right. I'm sure he'll show."

"He better," Max huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. Logan had been there for over a half an hour in which he had approached her twice trying feebly to start a conversation but they all ended up one-sided with him rambling on to himself and Max sitting there in frosty silence. He had nearly died of relief when Asha entered. Max shot the pair at the adjoining table an angry glare. She looked back at the clock and picked up a candy heart from the pile on the table chucking it at the offending timepiece. 

"I hate this fucking holiday!" she muttered, picking up another heart, which she read before stuffing it in her mouth. "Kiss Me"

She began picking at a thread on her sweater, her anger slowly fading to disappointment. She was sitting in a crowded club wearing a fucking sweater with perky little hearts all over it  and he was standing her up. She subconsciously fingered the ring on the chain around her neck and took a swig of beer.

"Don't look now Boo but I think your boy's here," O.C. said, staring into the crowd. A quiet tittering was coming from the entrance and Max glanced up. She saw the balloons before she saw him. Bobbing above the crowd were nearly a dozen red heat shaped balloons. Alec made his way over to her and kneeled down in front of her.

"I haven't been this scared

In a long time

And I'm so unprepared

So here's your Valentine

Bouquet of clumsy words

A simple melody

This world's an ugly place

Gut you're so beautiful to me" he sang, taking her hand in his. Max's eyes widened and she blinked away offending tears which, she wrote off as the result of a stray eyelash, and chewed on her bottom lip to keep from both laughing and crying. Alec finished the song and a chorus of shouts and clapping came from the occupants of the club. The ohing and ahing of every woman rocketing off the walls. Max leaned down resting her forehead against his, unable to keep the goofy smile off of her face.

"Sorry I'm late," Alec whispered.

"We didn't plan this," Max whispered back.

"Surprise," Alec said smiling. He kissed her gently on the forehead and she threw her arms around him in a hug. When the crowd had gone back to their own dates and left the pair alone Alec pulled away and handed her the balloons. Tied to the bottom as a weight was a small jewelry box. Max opened it and laughed as she pulled out a ring. She examined the inscription, "Tiger," she read, slipping it on her finger.

"Do I get mine back now," Alec asked hopefully.

"Not yet pretty boy," Max said, "I swear to god Alec if you weren't such a jackass most of the time…." She murmured, leaving the rest unsaid.

"Candy hearts!" Alec suddenly yelled, jumping up and flopping into a chair. He picked though the hearts popping the white ones into his mouth and setting aside several others. He smiled and began handing them out. Max glanced over at Logan and saw the flash of pure hatred flash across his face when he received his heart. Alec just laughed and returned to his seat. Max looked over to O.C. who nodded, assuring her that she would get a blow-by-blow description of Logan's reaction to the scene later.

"Dance?" Alec asked as a slow song came over the speakers. Max raised her eyebrows looking at him skeptically but took his hand. Alec pulled her onto the dance floor. They stood at arm's length from each other, not sure of how to proceed.

"I hate this song," Alec complained.

"You can't dance to punk," Max reminded him.

"I'm sure I could find a way," Alec replied, his blue eyes twinkling mischievously. Max laughed and buried her head in his sweater which he happened to look extremely handsome in.

"I really hate this song," Alec grimaced.

"No you don't you love it," Max informed him.

"Do I now?" he looked down at her.

"Yes it's your favorite because it's OUR song now. Alec shook his head but a grin still resided on his face.

"Is he buying it?" Max asked, trying to peer over Alec's shoulder. They had grown gradually closer together over the course of the dance until they were pressed intimately against each other. Like two pieces of a puzzle.

"Full price plus tax," Alec said, flashing a 100-watt smile at Logan over Max's head. Max peered under Alec's arm and let out an evil little chuckle.

"Sadistic little bitch aren't you?" Alec asked.

"I'm a real Tiger," Max replied. Alec laughed and threw an arm around her shoulder, "I think we've made our presence known," he said, steering her over to the table, "Get your balloons and say buh-bye. I do like a little more than four hours of sleep a night. Max grabbed the balloons and hugged O.C. and waved to Sketchy.

"Details tomorrow," Max hissed in her friend's ear. O.C. nodded enthusiastically.

"Let's go Blondie," Max said, dragging Alec out of the club by the sleeve of his jacket.

Logan sat staring mournfully after the two transgenics, a forgotten candy heart sitting in front of him. There was one word of the sugary surface but the message was clear. "Thanks"

~~~

TBC! REVIEW!!!!!!!! You know you want to.

~~~


	5. I Want You

TITLE: Let's Pretend 5/9(?)  
RATING: PG-16 (I make my own ratings)   
PAIRING: Max/Alec   
SUMMARY: Max uses Alec to make Logan jealous but is it just pretend?   
DISCLAIMER: Not mine..... the writing would be a hell of a lot better if I was affiliated with Dark Angel and crew. Why? Because I would be getting paid. I think that's reason enough don't you?   
AUTHORS NOTE: I just watched Hello Goodbye and lets just say thank god I taped it becauz I've found a semi-replacement 4 my X-Files scene. I have watched that scene outside the building where Logan sees Max and Alec at least 25 times and the scene inside the house with the whole Ben talk about 5 times. They are soooooo cute! And lets just say wow with all the touchy feeliness. One minute they couldn't stand each other and the next he's kissing her head and throwing his arm around her and it's just oozing shippiness!!!! Oh yeah and if ne1 is an X-Files fan "my" scene is from Post Modern Prometheus where Mulder sorta holds his hand out 2 Scully and he pulls her in and they dance and the whole world sorta slows down for them (Walkingggggggggg in Memphisssss lol) I just burst in2 tears when I saw that and I have seen it like seriously 80 times since then (I'm watching the repeats on FX so that ep. aired about 6-7 months ago) cauz it's just so damn sweet!!! I have more English teacher rambles but that would put me in a crappy mood so I'll save them for another time. Oh and did ne1 else notice how totally sexy Alec's voice sounded when he said maybe in response to Max's comment that Ben was why she acted like a bitch to him??? I know there was some drooling on my part. 8oD

~~~ 

Come stand a little bit closer

Breathe in and get a bit higher

You'll never knew what hit you

When I get to you

Oh I want you 

I don't know if I need you

But Oh I'd die to find out

~I Want You~ Savage Garden~

 ~~~

Max rolled off the sofa and stumbled into the bathroom looking at herself in the mirror through bleary eyes. Her head felt like it was stuffed with cotton and every joint on her body felt about ready to unhinge. She pressed her hands against her temples and took several deep breaths hoping to calm the nausea that was raging in her. She splashed cool water from the faucet onto her face but that only succeeded in making her cold and wet. 

Max padded out of the bathroom and settled herself at the kitchen table where Alec had already taken residence with his bowl of sugary-coated cereal and strong coffee. She rested her head on the cold wood of the table and played with the hem of her shirt. 

"You cut your hair," Alec said suddenly, coming to the epiphany after several minutes of observation. Max looked up at him through squinted eyes and nodded slowly. She had been bored last night and decided to be spontaneous and chop off her hair. The multiple drinks at Crash earlier had helped out with that decision but she didn't like giving them credit. Her brown hair was now chin length and glossy no longer the limp locks it had been the night before. "Looks good," he continued nodding in approval. Max caught sight of his cereal and felt the contents of her stomach lurch upwards.

"I don't think I'm going into work today," she mumbled and let her head fall back onto the table. 

"Normal's already on your ass are you sure you wanna skip again? I'm not covering for you," Alec warned, shoveling the last mouthful of cereal into his mouth before rising to his feet.

"I'm really sick this time," Max replied, silently wishing he would stop talking because opening her mouth was becoming a seriously dangerous action at this point. 

"Sure you are Maxie," Alec snorted, "Get dressed I'll drive you."

"I'm serious!" Max shouted, quickly clamping her hand over her mouth, "You're Normal's little golden boy you have influence over him. Just tell him I'm dying in my bed. Probably give him a happy."

"You're shitting me Tiger." Alec said, "Manticore made us virtually unbreakable. I haven't been sick once in my entire life plus Normal's already mad at you for 'stealing' me away so I wouldn't chance it." Max felt the bile rise in her throat and scrambled to her feet, praying she would be able to make it to the bathroom and not embarrass herself in front of Alec. All he needed was ammunition like this and she would have to live the rest of her life in total seclusion. She made it all the way into the bedroom before her luck gave out and she fell to her knees retching on the floor. Max heard Alec's feet pounding after her and readied herself for his laughter. She was surprised to feel him kneel down next to her and start rubbing her back gently. She saw his nose wrinkle at the mess she had made but her respect for him only grew when he once more failed to comment.

Max began to stand, immediately regretting the decision when the floor claimed the remainder of her dinner. Alec slipped his arm under hers and slowly helped her to stand. Max felt unnaturally weak and was glad for the support. He led her into the bathroom where he set her on the closed seat of the toilet. 

"Feel better?" he asked softly. Max forced a smile but could feel herself shivering even in the heated apartment. Alec pressed his eyes tightly closed and ran his hands through his blonde hair. He turned to the small bathtub and began to run warm water into it. He grabbed a towel and wet a corner of it, dragging it over to Max's seat on the toilet and began to wipe off her face. Max wrinkled her nose and ducked away from the towel, not ready to let any guy, especially Alec, wash her face when she was perfectly capable of doing so herself. 'Then why are you letting him?' A voice taunted in her head. Max mentally swatted at the voice arguing that she was sick and deserved a little pampering. 

"Get in," Alec said in a resigned voice, motioning toward the tub. Max mustered the energy to raise her eyebrows and he grinned wolfishly, "As much as I'd like to stay and watch I don't fancy wiping up Max vomit all day so I'm going to cal roller boy and find out what the hell I'm supposed to be doing." With that he left the room, letting the door fall shut behind him. Max slipped out of her clothes and into the warm bath, her joints and stomach screaming in protest, which got her to wondering when they had developed mouths, which lead her to the conclusion that she must be feverish. 

She let the warm water engulf her and sighed contentedly. She was disturbed by a knock on the door.

"What?" she called, her voice surprising her with its raspy quality.

"Just checking to see if you're o.k." Alec replied and she heard him move away from the door. She heard the concern in his voice and felt a tingle shoot through her. The tingle began to fade when the knocking continued to come in five-minute intervals through the course of the bath.

"Jesus!" she shouted and stepped out of the bath wrapping a towel around her.

"I never knew I was held in such high regard," Alec replied with a smirk as she exited the bathroom scowling. 

"It's kind of difficult to drown in a three foot bathtub," she reminded him. 

"Concerned boyfriend and all that jazz," Alec replied nodding his head towards the kitchen. Max's eyes widened and she momentarily forgot that she felt like dying as she peeked around the corner to see Logan seated at the kitchen table. She spun around to yell at Alec only to collide with his chest. He grabbed her wrists and bent slightly so that they were at eye level, "I called to find out what type of meds I should be buying and he goes into a tizzy and rushes over here. I couldn't have stopped him if I wanted to." 

"As if I wasn't already humiliated enough," Max whispered angrily but Alec could tell the anger was directed at Logan rather than him. He felt her struggle from his grasp and start for the bathroom but barely succeeded in moving a foot before throwing up a third time. Alec grimaced and scooped her up in his arms. 

"Put me down!" she hissed, her cheeks flaming in embarrassment. 

"You're burning up," he whispered brushing his hand over her forehead.

Logan rose to his feet when Alec entered the room carrying a struggling Max. Alec shot him an apologetic smile and forced her down into a chair. 

"Now tell the old man your symptoms," Alec ordered. Max shot him a glare that would wither any other person but Alec only turned his bright smile on her.

"Max," Logan murmured reaching his hand out towards her. Max squirmed away and latched onto Alec's hand emphasizing the gesture as she weaved her fingers in his. Logan sat back, looking as if he had been physically struck, he winced and handed Alec a thermometer who then gave it to Max who stuffed it into her mouth, her glare never leaving Logan.

"Look Max will you let me explain? It wasn't what it looked like," Logan pleaded leaning towards her. Alec chuckled and Max maneuvered the thermometer over to the side of her mouth.

"I'm shure it whasn't Lhogan. Bu you shee I jus dun care," she spat which ended up sounding rather comical with the thermometer impairing her speech. Alec began to laugh but it tapered off when he noticed that no one else seemed to see the humor. Logan looked hurt and Max was trying her best to look defiant even with a thermometer poking out of her mouth and clad in nothing but a towel. The last aspect was fairly distracting for the two males but they both hid the fact remarkably well.

The thermometer beeped and Alec snatched it from between Max's lips, ignoring her sputtered protests.

"102.7," he read, turning to Logan, "That's bad right?"

"It's high," Logan admitted. "Sounds flu-like. Make sure she relaxes; you've just got to sweat out a flu. Lemme know if anything changes." His tone had become suddenly cold as he clomped through the door leaving without a good-bye. Max felt her lower lip trembling and tears started to well up in her eyes.

"Oh for the love of…" Alec muttered as she began to bawl. His arm reached down to encircle her neck pressing her head to his stomach in a quasi-hug until she regained control. Max felt suddenly drowsy and almost wanted to just stay that way, pressed up against him, and go to sleep. 

"Oh no you don't," Alec warned, noticing her eyelids drooping, "I'm not carrying you anywhere else." Max sat up and waved at him in dismissal, yawning widely. 

"Hungry," she said, more of an order than a statement.

Alec grabbed a box of Saltines from the cabinet and poured her a glass of soda.

"Some chef," Max teased though another yawn. Alec grinned and set the meal in front of her. 

"Eat slowly," he ordered and left the room. He returned about five minutes later to find Max fast asleep, face first in the plate of Saltines. Alec linked his arms around her back and knees carrying her gently into her bedroom trying desperately not to notice the fact that the towel was slipping. He laid her down the bed, hoping that he would get credit for not putting her back on the sofa. He cursed his conscience as he slipped one of his larger t-shirts over her head before pulling the towel away. He tucked a blanket over her and went back into the kitchen to clean up her untouched snack. 

Max woke up several hours later in Alec's bed, momentarily confused. She was feeling much better and the first thing she noticed was the fact that Alec had actually gotten down and scrubbed the floor where she had vomited, not forced her to do it as soon as she was up to it. 

Alec entered the room and noticed her sitting up, "Morning Sunshine," he said cheerily, pulling his dirty shirt over his head and exchanging it for a clean one, "You feeling better?" he asked. Max nodded and pulled the covers up around her neck. "Good," he continued, "Cause I didn't want to shower until I was sure you weren't going to barf on me again." 

"You changed me," she said in accusation.

"No Logan did," Alec replied dryly.

"Logan left before I-,"

"Yes I changed you," Alec interrupted, "Sarcasm Max, learn to recognize it."

"It wasn't funny," Max simpered, lying back down.

"I didn't look," Alec assured her, knowing that that was her real concern.

"My reluctant nursemaid," Max teased and stretched languidly like a cat, "Alec," she began almost timidly.

Alec settled into a chair next to the bed and gave her his attention.

"Sing for me," she said, snuggling her head into the pillow.

"Come on Tiger, I can't sing," Alec replied uncomfortably.

"Yes you can. I hear you in the shower." Max said, grinning at the blush that stained the other transgenic's face.

"What?" he asked, his resolve wavering.

"Anything," Max said and closed her eyes in anticipation. 

"I wonder if you're alone up there," he began tentatively and continued, encouraged by Max's smile.

"Since you've been gone I've been alone down here

She told me that I would be O.K.

Now I don't believe

What she had to say

When she said:

Don't worry

You'll be fine

It's only a matter

A matter of time…" he trailed off noticing that Max's breathing had slowed and came evenly.

He watched her sleep and smiled, leaning over brushing his lips softly against hers, knowing that he couldn't do it when she was awake. He sighed and left the room unaware of Max's eyes trailing after him.

~~~

TBC! REVIEW!!!!!!!! You know you want to.

~~~


	6. Stolen Pearls

TITLE: Let's Pretend 6/10  
RATING: PG-16 (I make my own ratings)   
PAIRING: Max/Alec   
SUMMARY: Max uses Alec to make Logan jealous but is it just pretend?   
DISCLAIMER: Not mine..... the writing would be a hell of a lot better if I was affiliated with Dark Angel and crew. Why? Beacause I would be getting paid. I think that's reason enough don't you? Oh and the song in the story (not the one at the top) is Break Me Shake me and it's by Savage Garden.  
AUTHORS NOTE: Ok I just noticed how often I have me characters playing with food or pushing each other into things… I've used jello, rain, and now flour, lol  
~~~ 

Is love really the tragedy

The way you might describe?

Or would a thousand lovers

Still leave you cold inside

Make you cry…

These tears of pearls

All these mixed emotions

We keep locked away like stolen pearls

~Stolen Pearls~ Savage Garden~

~~~

Max pulled on an old t-shirt and shorts and gathered her hair into a haphazard ponytail. Alec had abandoned her for a taller blonder girl with the promise that he would keep her out of Logan's stomping grounds. Max had reluctantly consented but only at the thought of having the apartment to herself. She walked over to the stereo Alec had not so legally acquired and flicked it on.

~~~

"I never thought that I'd change my opinion again, But you moved me in a way that I've never know, You moved me in a way that I've never known, But straight away you moved into position again, You abused me in a way that I've never known, You abused me in a way that I've never known, So break me, shake me, hate me, take me over."

Clap, clap, clap, the slow, almost mocking applause filled the silence following the song's end. Max spun around, her spatula microphone clattering to the floor. Alec lounged against the doorframe looking absolutely gorgeous. A black t-shirt clung to his lean frame and a denim jacket was thrown over his shoulder in that sexy cowboy sort of stance. Max was suddenly painfully aware of her own ragged attire. A thrift store shirt she had taken scissors to and a pair of threadbare shorts. 

"Hello beautiful," he drawled. 

Max planted her hands on her hips and glared at him, I thought you were on a date.

Alec gave a snort of laughter, "I was," he replied, "She wasn't my type."

"That didn't keep you from fucking every other leggy blonde who glanced your way," Max retorted.

"Didn't say I didn't fuck her," Alec smirked, tossing his jacket on the table and peering over Max's shoulder. "Cookies!" he cried happily.

Max slapped his hand away, "None for you," she snapped.

"Why?" Alec asked, feigning hurt.

"Because you're a jackass," she replied.

"But a helpful one," Alec said, reaching behind her to pick up the open bag of flour that still sat on the counter.

"I'll just put this away for ya," he continued, starting towards the cupboard. Alec reached a loose floor tile and stumbled exaggeratedly, tossing the flour over his shoulder in the process. He turned back to study his handiwork, satisfied. Max stared down at herself in disbelief; she was nearly coated in the white powder.

"Aw! Did you make a mess Maxie?" Alec crooned.

"Not yet," Max replied as she reached down and grabbed a handful of flour, flinging it at him. Alec ducked away and laughed as the flour smacked into the wall. He brushed some of it into his hand and launched himself at Max, rubbing it in her hair. Max squealed and tried to wiggle away but the attempts were weak and halfhearted, it had been far too long since she was able to laugh like this and it was not exactly something she wanted to escape. She found herself backed up against the stove and slowly leaned down to retrieve the bag of flour when Alec's attention wandered to a streak of flour her face had left on his shirt. He rubbed at it and was reaching for a paper towel when the remaining flour came raining down on him. 

"Payback's a bitch," Max giggled, her body shaking with laughter, as Alec spit flour from his mouth and blinked it away from his eyes. Flour floated down through the air in a sort of freak indoor snowstorm.

"You got me Tiger," he admitted with a grin, "But guess what I got?"

"What?" Max asked, suddenly very aware of the way that they were pressed up against each other.

"A cookie," he replied, smiling happily as he snatched a cookie off the counter and shoved it into his mouth.

"Yeah and you've got flour right… here," Max murmured, extending a finger to point to a random point on his neck as her tongue darted out to lick it off.

She heard Alec suck in a lungful of air and let it out shakily, "You're gonna get burned, he said, his voice a near growl, obviously not referring to the oven behind her.

"Burn me," Max purred. The second the words left her mouth Alec's lips smashed against hers in a bruising kiss. She could taste the chocolate of the cookie as the kiss grew more intense. Alec weaved his hands in her hair as he backed her against the sturdier surface of the wall. Max raked her fingernails down his back, all inhibitions having been locked away the second she threw the flour at him. They broke apart only to allow Alec to tug his ruined shirt over his head. Max nuzzled Alec's neck as they stood panting, both marveling over the power of a single kiss. Alec shook away a lock of hair that flopped into his eyes and then he heard it. The single whispered word, more of a groan than anything else but it was like a punch in the gut, causing an almost physical pain. He pushed out of the room leaving a dazed Max behind.

A single word. A single name. Not his. Logan's.

~~~

TBC! REVIEW!!!!!!!! You know you want to.

~~~


	7. Running Away

TITLE: Let's Pretend 7/10  
RATING: PG-16 (I make my own ratings)   
PAIRING: Max/Alec   
SUMMARY: Max uses Alec to make Logan jealous but is it just pretend?   
DISCLAIMER: Not mine..... the writing would be a hell of a lot better if I was affiliated with Dark Angel and crew. Why? Beacause I would be getting paid. I think that's reason enough don't you? Oh and the song in the story (not the one at the top) is Break Me Shake me and it's by Savage Garden.  
AUTHORS NOTE: This chapter is kinda angsty. Ok and I got a lot of response for that last chapter. I personally thought it was crap but people seemed to be really affected by it. Outraged to say the least. I PROMISE you that this will NOT be Max/Logan. The idea of the 2 of them 2gether makes me sick and I can't see, read, or write it. (Oh honey lets put on some latex gloves so we can hold hands! How ROMANTIC! (~note sarcasm)) SO rest assured you will get your Max/Alec fix with this story.

~~~ 

I don't want you to give it all up

To leave your own life collecting dust

And I don't want you to feel sorry for me

You never gave us a chance to be

And I don't need you to be by my side

To tell me that everything's alright

I just wanted you to tell me the truth

You know I'd do that for you

Why are you running away?

~Running Away~ Hoobastank~

~~~

Max sank back against the wall, listening in a state of stunned silence as Alec slammed the door closed in his quick escape from the apartment. She didn't know what had happened and wasn't willing to analyze it anymore than she already had. She didn't want to admit to herself that she wasn't pretending anymore. With that she rose to her feet and grabbed a coat, running from the apartment on wobbly legs.

She burst in to Joshua's rundown house and heard the music almost immediately. She shot Joshua a quick apologetic smile, promising she'd visit later and walked over to a set of rickety steps beginning the descent into the basement. She made it halfway down before settling herself down on one of the steps. She could see Alec through the bars of the railing and for the moment she was content to just watch. 

Alec was seated at the piano his fingers virtually flying over the keys a loud soulful song emanating from the instrument. The song was so much more than a bunch of notes. As corny as it sounded Max could almost feel emotion bleeding from each line, seeping out through the ivory keys and flowing through the room. This was almost as heartbreaking as Alec himself. Still shirtless he was hunched over the keys, the muscles of his back rippling with each note. After a few seconds of desperate straining Max was able to see that his eyes were closed. His fingers moving of there own free will. Jesus he was good. The sad song tapered off to a quiet simplistic version of heart and soul and Alec's eyes slowly opened.

"You want something?" he asked, his voice deceptively calm.

Max jumped, startled by his sudden question. She'd thought she had been relatively quiet. There was no way he had heard her. 

"How'd you know I has here?" she asked, clomping down the final few steps to stand next to him. She watched as he continued to tap out heart and soul. She almost wished she had a camera at that moment. She could make a killing, shuttling him out as a model.

"You smell," he replied bluntly.

Max cocked her eyebrows at him, scowling angrily, "What do you mean?" she ground out.

Alec managed one of him trademark smirks but it was obvious his heart wasn't in it, "Not stinky smell," he clarified, "Just a smell. Vanilla I guess."

Max's scowl morphed into a confused stare, she couldn't exactly figure out what was happening here but it didn't seem to be heading anywhere productive, "You're good," she said lamely, gesturing towards the piano.

A muscle twitched in Alec's cheek in a ghost of a smile, "You told me that before," he murmured, slowly switching back to the complicated melody he had stated out with. Max looked at him questioningly, "Rachel," he reminded her flatly.

Max reached down picking out several notes with a tentative finger. Alec smiled and motioned for her to join him of the bench. Max slid onto the wood bench happily and positioned her fingers awkwardly on the keys. Alec slipped his own hands under hers and began to tap out heart and soul once more. Max watched in fascination as their hands moved together. Alec took the opportunity to watch her. She obviously didn't realize what she had said. That almost made it worse. Almost but not quite.

They played the repetitive little song for several minutes before Alec gently removed his hands motioning for Max to continue without him. Max squealed in delight as her hands continued to pound out the melody. Alec heard the sloppy notes and slurred rhythm but only smiled. He moved his hands into the lower register and picked out the back up notes, the two parts combining to form something almost musical. Almost but not quite. 

Max's timing grew more and more off and she banged her elbows onto the keys in frustration. Alec looked at her skeptically, "The piano doesn't deserve that sort of abuse."

"I'm just not a musician," Max wailed banging her elbows down again for emphasis. Alec watched her stick her lip out in a pout and could almost see himself forgiving her. Almost but not quite. 

"I can't do this anymore," he said softly.

Max turned to him, "Do what?" she asked, confused.

"I can't pretend anymore," he replied.

"Why?" Max asked, feeling a sting sensation start to tickle the back of her eyes, "We were going to go another week at least."

"I can't," Alec said bluntly, "I'm tired of it."

Max's eyes darted across his face trying to see what could have prompted this sudden abandon, "Logan's party…" she said frantically.

"You will be attending alone," he finished, his gaze becoming suddenly hard.

"Why?" she asked pathetically, realizing that she was no longer above begging. Logan's fancy dress party was in a week and she was not going to go solo and watch him hang all over Asha, "It's not fair."

"To who?" Alec snapped, "To who Max? To you? What about me? Did you think this thing was fair to me? You've been so wrapped up in Logan and your goddamn game of pretend your forgetting about everyone else. I'm not going to do it any more. Tomorrow night at Crash consider yourself dumped."

"I'm going to go tell Cindy," Max replied miserably, "She's gotta play her part in the break up sequence tomorrow."

Alec watched Max trudge up the stairs, her shoulders sagging in disappointment? Embarrassment? What? He almost wanted to chase after her. Almost but not quite.

Max shut the door leading to the stairs and heard the music start up again, seeping under the closed door. She sat down, her back against the door, her head resting in her hands. She felt the wetness of her cheeks and realized that she was crying. This only made her cry harder. No more than 20 feet away a single tear trickled down Alec's face. Both transgenics sitting alone, both crying, both almost crying out to the other. Almost but not quite.

~~~

TBC! REVIEW!!!!!!!! You know you want to.

~~~


	8. Two Steps Back

TITLE: Let's Pretend 8/10  
RATING: PG-16 (I make my own ratings)   
PAIRING: Max/Alec   
SUMMARY: Max uses Alec to make Logan jealous but is it just pretend?   
DISCLAIMER: Not mine..... the writing would be a hell of a lot better if I was affiliated with Dark Angel and crew. Why? Beacause I would be getting paid. I think that's reason enough don't you? 

AUTHORS NOTE: Doing my part to bring DA back a 3rd season!!! A show of hands as to how many people have added FOX execs. to their shit lists. * raises hand *  Oh yeah and ATTENTION!!!! Please if you liked the movie Scream please please please read the story I'm writing!!! You don't get many reviews there and I love reviews!! Even if you haven't seen the moives check it out if you get a chance. It's called Resurrecting Randy and I'm basically rewriting Scream 2. I don't think you'd have to see the movie to understand it. http://www.fanfiction.net/read.php?storyid=785993 Thanx!!!!

AN2: If you have a weak stomach watch out I'm about to act like a bitch…

Chasm (my oh so mature flamer)- It would be a lot easier to take what you say seriously if you spoke English rather than the ghetto sorta thing you have going on that really only makes you seem illiterate. Sooooo crappy, wayyyyyy betta written than dat, stupid shyt (btw how exactly would you pronounce that? I'm sure you don't mean shit because if you did you would just write that right?) But you get kudos for actually using the phrase "home girl". Honestly I don't think I've seen that outside of SNL skits and other parodies. Well actually my neighbor the human whale who I've talked about before says that but we're not going to go into her because I could ramble for pages. I decided to check up on what you were saying because even if you have the maturity level of a gerbil maybe there was some truth in what you were saying. And yes our first chapters do seem similar. If you continue to read though our stories branch off in totally different directions. I checked the reviews and saw that I had indeed reviewed the story. I said it was great… a fact I maintain. I may have had the idea swimming around in my sub consciousness when I wrote this but I did not set out to copy his/her work. If RedCinders got that impression I am very very very sorry. I really do apologize. The rain scene was in fact based on something that happened to me and a friend of mine, no he's no Alec but he was my inspiration. I apologize again if you thought that and if it really bugs you or you still think I "copied" I'll try to write an alternate chapter. I'm trying to decide whether to delete your review or leave it up there to laugh over. I can understand if people don't like my writing and can appreciate that but flaming… come on now you can do better than that. ~End of bitchiness~

~~~

One step forward and two steps back

She might be strange but she has a knack

She'll lift her arms up to the sky 

And say

Oh my god don't you let him say good-bye

~One Step Forward~ The Color Green (the band from the movie "Girl")~

~~~

Max ran a brush through her hair and stared at herself in the mirror, pausing a minute to collect herself. This wouldn't be very convincing if they looked like they'd broken up before the event actually happened.

"You've got 10 seconds to get yourself decent before I come out," Max shouted to Alec through the closed door of the bathroom. She counted to 7 and opened the door, inwardly disappointed that the other transgenic was fully clothed. Even if she was mad at him she still wouldn't mind seeing a little skin.

"That was 5 seconds," Alec said looking at her with a smirk.

"It was 7 and it didn't work anyways," Max replied, smiling hesitantly. Alec had been studiously avoiding her for the past three days and she almost missed their verbal sparing. She certainly missed his constant presence at her side but she had begun to accustom herself to the fact that he wasn't going to be her lap dog any more. A fact which was made more painful by the tight blue t-shirt he was wearing that set off his gorgeous eyes, with an almost electric intensity.

"You ready to go?" Alec asked returning the smile. The tension in the room was palpable but he returned the smile. It would all be over soon. As soon as this stupid game of hers was over they could return to their quasi-friendship state and everything would be right again. It would have to be.

"If you are," she replied, slipping on a leather jacket and heading to the door. Alec breezed past her, opening the door and holding it for her. Max stepped through and looked back at him suspiciously.

"I'm still the doteing boyfriend for a few more hours," he reminded her in a strained voice. Max nodded and they fell silent. A silence, which continued through the trip and straight through their entrance in Crash. 

"Whoa," Cindy cried mockingly, "I'm sensing some hostility here." Max and Alec both turned to glare at her and she smiled, "Kidding Boos. Just sit down and relax. He won't be here for another 15 minutes or so." Max slumped down in a chair and Alec sat as far away from her as he could manage while still being able to reach the table. Sketchy looked between the pair confused.

"I missed something," he said scooting closer to O.C.

"They're on the outs," Cindy explained, "They're going to fight as soon as Logan gets here."

"They plan when they fight?" he asked, "I guess that would explain all the snappy comebacks. I always thought they were preplanned."

"They're a different sort of couple," O.C. said, humoring Sketchy in his confusion. 

Max watched the exchanged, through slitted eyes when she felt something bounce off the back of her head. She spun around to face Alec who was feigning innocence. She picked a toothpick out of the hood of her shirt and glared at him. 

"Look the Smart Alec is rearing it's ugly head and the maturity level is dropping," Max shot, snapping the toothpick in half and letting it drop to the floor.

"And the wonderful 452 is practicing her comedic talents," he replied, his face stoic.

"Which you obviously didn't appreciate nearly enough," Max said sullenly. 

"What was that?" Alec asked, his voice increasing in volume as he rose from his seat.

"Nothing," Max snapped, her eyes darting over Alec's face as she sank even lower into her chair.

"You know why Max? Because it wasn't real! It was a fucking game of pretend!" he shouted. Max rose out of her own chair his sudden height advantage becoming a little disconcerting for her.

"So why are you so worked up about it?" she demanded, her voice as loud as his, "Why are you so worked up if it was just a game? Huh Alec? You wanna tell me that? You wanna tell me the real reason you're calling it off?" O.C. thought about getting up to mediate the argument but decided against it, she wasn't willing to risk loosing a limb. She watched, a little uncomfortable with the intense emotional scene unfolding in front of her. This was not what they had scripted. This was not the argument they had planned for. She saw Logan approaching in her peripheral vision. Saw him hesitating and almost leaving but then coming to sit down after all. 

"You changed the rules on me Max!" Alec shouted in response, unaware of the questioning stares and hushed conversations.

"Did I?" Max sneered, "No I think you just forgot them. Forgot that I was using you! You knew that and you agreed to it! You were my tool, my fucking plaything!"

"No. You see Max I wasn't a device to make him jealous like we agreed. You made me a replacement. Everything that happened you were just transposing him into the situation. It was him you were laughing with, him you were dancing with, him you were kissing!" Alec cried, nearing hysterics.

"We weren't designed to be CHUMPS Alec!" she shouted, delighted to finally be able to use that accusation against him, "You should've known that was happening. You should've known I'd do that. Did you actually think I would kiss YOU?!" She realized how much of a lie all this was but she had gone to far to stop. To far to turn around and apologize. To far to be able to break down and hug him, tell him it wasn't true.

"Yeah I did Max. I thought you might actually have gotten past him and moved on. But of course not. Max the ice queen of Seattle could never open up to me. She's too goddamn stubborn. Of course she can't realize that I'm the only one in this shit-hole of a city who could understand her." 

Max stepped back caught off guard by his confession.

"You got emotions involved when you pretended I was him. That wasn't in the contract and I want out," Alec continued.

"Emotions?!" Max snorted after she regained her composure, "I'm the one who got her emotions involved?! What about you Mr. Model boyfriend?! The ring, the hand puppet, the singing, the balloons, the complements, the whole goddamn package!"

"I'd like to thank the Academy," Alec smirked, giving a mock bow, "And now I'm going to leave. I'm going to leave you here with the man of your dreams," he said, motioning toward Logan, proving that he as indeed aware of the other man's presence, "And I'm going to hope that the two of you can act like mature individuals and work this out. Minus the lies and games!" he finished, pushing through the crowd and started for the door.

Max stood alone, her face flushed and her heart racing, flustered as hell but not willing to let him have the last word, "I never loved you!" she shouted as he opened the door to leave. If it hadn't been for her enhanced hearing she wouldn't have heard his muttered response.

"That was the problem," he said and was gone. Max felt her legs give out under her, the emotional stress having drained her almost entirely. Cindy reached out and caught her helping her back into her seat. She looked over at Logan, saw the goofy smile on his face and felt the sudden need to throw up. Instead she dissolved in loud wracking sobs. Because it was then she realized that the real man of her dreams had just walked out of that door.

~~~ 

~~~

TBC! REVIEW!!!!!!!! You know you want to. And pleasepleasepleasepleaseplease read my Scream story. I really like writing that one and would love to get some response. Even if you haven't seen the movies give it a chance. And if you haven't seen them I seriously recommend them especially the 2nd!!!! It's in my little directory of stories or you can go to the Scream fanfic section… it's call Resurrecting Randy. How's that for begging???

~~~


	9. The Best Deceptions

TITLE: Let's Pretend 9/10  
RATING: PG-16 (I make my own ratings)   
PAIRING: Max/Alec   
SUMMARY: Max uses Alec to make Logan jealous but is it just pretend?   
DISCLAIMER: Not mine..... the writing would be a hell of a lot better if I was affiliated with Dark Angel and crew. Why? Because I would be getting paid. I think that's reason enough don't you? The songs by Lifehouse it's called Breathing.

DEDICATION: I took up like 20 lines ranting about a flamer last time and then realized that I had one flamer out of 200 and some reviewers so to all my faithful reviewers and even the one-timers thank you so much and this chapter… hell the whole story is dedicated to u. Especially The Goddess Bastet, girltype, Jewls13, Donna Lynn, Dusty, Lyla, tlgirl, Vanessa, ragingconfusion, Amanda Spencer, Chic, and wondertross who all review on a regular basis even if I post these chapters so sporadically it's hard even for me to keep track of. 8oD

AUTHORS NOTE: Second chap. Of Resurrecting Randy's up. Give it a try if you get a chance. It's under my little directory. http://www.fanfiction.net/read.php?storyid=785993  Thanx!!!!

AN2: The party doesn't have a purpose other than to get Max and Alec together so use your imagination.

~~~

Don't you see

Don't you see

That the charade is over?

And all the "Best Deceptions" and 

"Clever Cover Story" awards go to you 

So kiss me hard 

Because this will be the last time that I let you

~The Best Deceptions~ Dashboard Confessional~

~~~

Max tilted her head to the side, watching as chocolate ice cream dripped from the spoon she held in her hand to a relatively large puddle on the floor. Original Cindy came into the room, coming to a dead halt when she saw Max. She let out an exasperated sigh and grabbed a paper towel, wiping up the sticky chocolate lake.

"Cindy!" Max shouted, broken from her trance. 

"Look Boo. I'm all for you going through the healthy mourning period but you haven't left the sofa for almost a week," O.C. said anxiously, "You're ready to be released back into the world." 

"He didn't die," Max scowled, setting the half empty tub of ice cream on the floor and getting to her feet.

"You're acting like he did," Cindy retorted, throwing away the ice cream, spoon included. "Now you are going to go to this shin-dig of Logan's tonight and you are going to have fun in your very pretty, VERY expensive new dress." 

Max stretched languidly and scratched her stomach in one fluid motion, "And I'm going to flirt wildly with every male who looks my way," she said through a yawn. 

Cindy smiled threw an arm around her friend's shoulders before pushing her towards the bathroom, "Shower," she ordered with a grin. Max blinked and sniffed the oversized t-shirt she had been wearing for nearly three days. Smelled fine to her.

"You've been sitting there in your own filth for a week Boo," O.C. explained, "Trust me, you stink."

"Honesty is a virtue," Max drawled and padded into the bathroom, feeling halfway decent for the first time in a while. She didn't need Alec to feel good about herself. She didn't need his memory pestering her wherever she went. She had run after him trying to apologize, trying to catch him but he was gone. She had tried to do the right thing in the end it had just been a little too late. 

A shower felt good after days of being parked on the sofa, o.d.ing on ice cream and pre-pulse romantic comedies. She was washing away whatever guilt and regret she held over the ordeal with Alec along with the grime. She emerged from the shower, to a dark room. She didn't realize she had been in there that long but she realized that she didn't really know what time she finally got off the sofa. It could've nearly been dusk then. She flicked on a light and saw the dress she had purchased several weeks ago, spread across the bed. The dress she had bought with Alec.

She could remember his reaction when he saw the dress. The throat clearing, anxious twitching, and muttered complements assuring that this was definitely her dress. He was also flirting with the sales clerk she reminded herself before the tears could start again. She wasn't the type to pout for long periods of time but it was Alec's whispered confession as he left that had her in shock for hours afterwards. In retrospect she realized that he couldn't have meant it. He wasn't the type to fall in love and if he did it certainly wouldn't be with her. He went for innocence. The only other person he loved was Rachel and Max was nothing like Rachel. Or the Rachel he described at least. 

"Boo, get your scrawny little ass out here!" O.C. shouted through the closed door. 

Max jumped, startled, "One second!" she called, quickly toweling off and slipping the dress over her head. She glanced in the mirror and let out a little yelp. Her wet hair was sticking out all over the place and looked like it needed several hours of intense care. Plus there was make-up….

"You go ahead," Max shouted to O.C, "I'll make my fashionably late entrance in an hour or so."

"You are not getting out of this Boo!" O.C. shouted. Max stuck her head out to show Cindy the disaster that was her hair. 

Original Cindy laughed, "I see," she said and got up, "But you better be there in an hour or I'm coming back to physically drag you there." Max retreated back into the room, only sticking her hand out long enough to flick off her friend. She heard O.C. laughing as she left the apartment. Max sighed and started to brush her flyaway hair. 

Half an hour of primping and blow-drying gave her hair shampoo-commercial shine and bouncibility. The short hair cut several hours off the styling time. She put on her make-up hastily and took one last look in the mirror. The dress was white, setting off her natural tan and dark hair. She had bought it when she still thought she would be trying to make Logan jealous and had made sure that it showed off more than a little skin. It was backless and long, a slit up to mid thigh on both sides. She felt a bit uncomfortable but it was too late to change. She took a few deep calming breaths and set out for the party. 

Logan's big dress up affair was within walking distance from the apartment and she figured she could use the stinging cold of the night air to keep her composure. She arrived at the building, limos and other expensive cars circling around, dropping off their occupants at the entrance. Looked like she wasn't the only one who went for a festively late entrance. She saw several small low budget magazines and news station camped out by the door, hoping for a glimpse of a celebrity or two. 

She watched couple after couple enter the building, either smiling or avoiding the camera depending on their importance. Max realized the real reason she felt out of place and wheeled around ready to head back to the house. She had no date. She stopped, remembering O.C.'s threat and turned back to face the building. The walk between the parking lot and the door was roughly ten feet. She could put up with ten feet of embarrassment. She rolled her neck, listening to the joints pop as she did so, more like an athlete preparing for a race than a singleton entering a party. She began the long trek towards the path and braced herself for the amused whispers and pitying comments that were sure to come. 

She stepped onto the walkway and felt a strong arm encircle her waist. She let out the breath that she had been holding and shot her savior a grateful smile. She found herself looking into a familiar pair of bright blue eyes and felt her knees begin to buckle. Alec's arm steadied her while she collected herself and they walked down the path and into the bright light of the party. She immediately turned to Alec, so many things she had to say, bubbling up and then dieing away when she realized he had disappeared into the crowd making her wonder if he was even there to begin with. Maybe he had just been a figment of her lovesick imagination. A delusion brought on by too much ice cream and too many movies that ended with a happily ever after. An ending she would never get. 

Original Cindy made her way through the crowd and arrived at Max's side, "You look spooked Boo," she said, regarding her friend worriedly. 

"I thought - I'm – I'm fine," she stammered, decideding that she should keep any indications of insanity to herself. 

"Let's go make your presence known to our host before we mingle," O.C. said, still worried, "He's been asking about you ya know."

"Who?" Max asked, heart leaping.

"Logan," Cindy replied, surprised that Max even had to ask. Max's smile crumbled as they headed over to the older man who was making his rounds, engaging various guests in small talk. Asha followed him like an extra appendage, laughing at the right times and smiling graciously at everyone. 

"Mr. and Mrs. Logan Cole," Max muttered, trying to imagine herself in Asha spot and failing miserably. She would never have been the perfect girlfriend, the perfect hostess, the perfect wife. She would never have been right with Logan. She found herself next to Logan before she realized it and was startled when his hand grasped hers. She tried to yank it away before she realized the latex gloves adorning Logan's hands.

"I'm telling people it's a skin condition," he said with a soft laugh, "I'm glad you came."  Max heard the sincerity in his voice and found herself remembering what she had found so attractive. What had repelled her from Alec. That sincerity. Alec was a joker. The comic relief the court jester, who was too proud to let his feelings show so he disguised them with witty banter and clever barbs. Logan was emotional and loving. A trait, which was suddenly not as appealing. She smiled wanly and caught sight of Asha staring at her jealously. Asha's dress was reserved and was a perfect complement to Logan in his stiff tux, Max's dress was loud and flirty and she looked more like Logan's daughter or slutty mistress than his date. She excused herself and headed for the bathrooms, O.C. following a bewildered look on her face.

Max shut herself in one of the stalls and rummaged through her purse for a mirror. She lost her grip and the bag went splashing into the toilet below, "Shit! Shit shit shit shit shit," she muttered staring helplessly at the cosmetics and random bits of paper floating in the water. She leaned her head back against the stall door and felt the tears well up behind closed lids. Max the tough as nails soldier was turning into an emotional train wreck. She heard someone else enter the bathroom and she wiped her nose on a piece of toilet paper shutting the toilet lid and taking a seat waiting for her eyes to return to their normal color and her sinuses to clear themselves. 

"Max," O.C. called knocking on the stall door.

"Go 'way," Max replied.

"Boo get out of there and stop pouting," Cindy ordered.

"I'm taking a crap," Max lied hoping that would scare off the other girl.

"No your not I can see your dress."

Max rolled her eyes at her friend's ability to be practical in any situation. She got up and opened the door letting it clang shut behind her.

"Where's your purse?" she asked, a mother talking to a clumsy, slightly slow child.

"In the toilet," Max said matter of factly, hoisting herself on the sinks and swinging her feet against the porcelain. O.C. watched her suspiciously and Max shrugged. She entered the stall and opened the toilet seat, fishing Max's waterlogged purse and some of the salvageable item out of the water and setting them on the counter to dry out. 

"We in the mood to share?" she asked after Max looked more or less under control.

"Not particularly."

"Fine, we'll sit here for the next four hours."

"Good," Max retorted her legs swing faster and faster. She realized how childish she was acting but it felt good to let go for once. To let someone else take care of her. 

"Alright I'll guess," O.C. said, she didn't fancy sitting in a bathroom for the remainder of the party. A woman entered the room and stared at Max and Cindy quizzically.

"Can I help you?" Max asked contrarily.

The woman looked away embarrassed and quickly washed her hands and left.

"You don't want Logan any more," Cindy guessed, ignoring the interruption.

Max nodded motioning for her to continue, "You feel out of place and awkward and you don't want to hurt his feelings. Even if he hurt yours and has made you a complete nutcase for the past several months."

"Bingo," Max said, her shoulders dropping and her feet slowing and eventually stopping, "I don't belong with him O.C. I don't love him any more."

"You're in love with the one that got away," Cindy finished.

Max nodded sadly and hopped off the sink. Original Cindy wrapped her in a fierce hug and Max returned it with an equal intensity.

"Let's go back out there and show everyone that your o.k." O.C. said nudging Max towards the door. Max shook her hair out and reentered the main party room, a smile plastered across her face. The moment she emerged she felt a hand grasp hers she faced Logan the smile still in place.

"Dance?" he asked with a hesitant smile. Max considered turning him down but decided to go for it. Maybe she could find a way to love Logan again, he certainly was making the effort. She took his hands and they moved onto the dance floor, only their hands touching, nothing more. Nothing more could unless they wanted him dead. 

I'm finding my way back to sanity again 

_Though I don't really know what I'm going to do when I get there_

_I take a breath and hold on tight_

_Spin around one more time_

_And gracefully fall back to the arms of grace_

Max knew she had heard the song before but couldn't quite place it. She liked it but with it came a feeling of sadness and nostalgia. Wonder where I heard it she mused, taking her mind off the awkwardness of the dance. Off the bizarre picture they must make holding hands and swaying to the music.

Cause I am hanging on every word you say 

_Even if you don't want to speak tonight_

_That's alright, alright with me_

_Cause I want nothing more than to sit outside heaven's door _

_And listen to you breathing_

_That's where I wanna be, yeah_

_Where I wanna be_

Max heard someone clear his throat but Logan was blocking whoever it was. 

"May I cut in?" the voice asked, somewhat amused the cocky smile that was most defiantly on his face almost present in his voice. Max's heart hammered in her chest as Alec became visible over Logan's shoulder, his eyes locked on her face though he was talking to Logan.

"Come on old man. This is our song you can have her the rest of the night." Logan grudgingly released Max and she stepped into Alec's arms amazed how right it felt.

I'm looking past the shadows in my mind into the truth And I'm trying to identify with the voices in my head God wish you won't 

_Let me feel one more time what it feels like to feel_

_And break those calluses off me one more time_

"Our song?" Max asked with a small smile.

"You don't remember?" Alec asked, feigning hurt, "You're the one who chose it."

Max's brow furrowed in concentration and the memory came crashing back to her, "Valentine's day at Crash!" she cried happily.

"I'm sure I should be offended that you forgot so quickly but I'll just blame it on your faulty memory," he chided, his tone lighthearted.

Cause I am hanging on every word you say 

_And even if you don't want to speak tonight_

_That's alright, alright with me_

_Cause I want nothing more than to sit outside your door_

_And listen to you breathing_

_It's where I wanna be, Yeah_

"I like the dress by the way," Alec added, eyeing the expanse of leg the skirt bared appreciatively.

"You would," Max snorted, very aware of how incredibly handsome Alec looked in a tux but not willing to ruin the comfortable mood with the admission.

Oh I don't want a thing from you 

_Bet you're tired of me waiting for_

_The scraps to fall off of your table to the ground_

_Cause I just wanna be here now_

Cause I am hanging on every word you say 

_Even if you don't wanna speak tonight_

_That's alright, alright with me_

_Cause I want nothing more than to sit outside heaven's door_

_And listen to you breathing_

_It's where I wanna be_

_Where I wanna be_

"Look Max I've been trying to postpone asking you this," Alec began, shifting uncomfortably. Max felt her chest tighten and she nodded for him to continue.

"What the hell are you wiping all over my back?" he finished, looking over his shoulder but not breaking the embrace the dance called for, "Because it's soaking through my jacket and it's irritating the hell outa me."

Max let out the breath that she had been holding in a relieved gasp, "That would be my purse," she replied dangling the damp purse she was still clutching in front of his face.

"Toilet?" he asked, thinking nothing unusual about the method of destruction used on the ruined fabric.

Max nodded, scowling at the bag, "If you're willing to brave the woman's bathroom you'll probably still see some of my make-up floating in the third stall from the door." Alec smiled and plucked the purse out of her fingers and tossed it across the room, watching it flop to a wet heap in the corner of the room.

"I'll buy you a new one," he assured her, ruffling her hair. Max batted away his hand, but the smile didn't fade.

"Are you going to stay long enough to fulfill that promise?" she asked hesitantly. A look of what could only be described as panic flitted across Alec's handsome face and he muttered something about having to go to the bathroom before disappearing into the crowd for the second time that night. Max was left alone on the dance floor staring at his retreating back.

"Alec!" she cried, pushing through the crowd, chasing after him yet again.

~~~ 

~~~

TBC! REVIEW!!!!!!!! You know you want to. And pleasepleasepleasepleaseplease read my Scream story. I really like writing that one and would love to get some response. Even if you haven't seen the movies give it a chance. And if you haven't seen them I seriously recommend them especially the 2nd!!!! It's in my little directory of stories or you can go to the Scream fanfic section… it's call Resurrecting Randy. I didn't feel like rereading this so if there are anyglaringly obvious mistakes and if the end is rushed blame it on my laziness and the fact that I'm missing X-Files as I write this lol. I'll fix the really obvious stuff when I get a chance. 8oD

~~~


	10. Drawing Board

TITLE: Let's Pretend 10/10  
RATING: PG-16 (I make my own ratings)   
PAIRING: Max/Alec   
SUMMARY: Max uses Alec to make Logan jealous but is it just pretend?   
DISCLAIMER: Not mine..... the writing would be a hell of a lot better if I was affiliated with Dark Angel and crew. Why? Because I would be getting paid. I think that's reason enough don't you? 

DEDICATION: In Loving Memory of Tiger… the best cat anyone could ever have.

AUTHORS NOTE: Sorry bout the lack of updates!!!! But hey this is the last part so I hope it was worth the wait lol.

~~~

So love me, so I can be myself again

Now hate me, so things seem normal in my head

I'm trying, to break away this ball and chain

Now hate me, so things seem normal in my head

Things seem normal in my head

I spent days and nights in my bedroom

Trying to write the perfect song to sing to you

Write a song a day but she won't like it anyway

Back to the drawing board

With the words you've heard a million times before

~Drawing Board~ Mest~

~~~

Max pushed through the doors of the building and out into the heavy night air. The moon and stars were shrouded by a layer of dark clouds promising one hell of a thunderstorm when they burst.

"Alec!" she shouted, momentarily forgetting her inadequate footwear as she started after him. The heel of a shoe got caught in a crack in the pavement and sent her sprawling.

"Shit," she muttered examining her ruined shoe as rain droplets began to fall with a steady regularity. Blood trickled from her scraped knees and mixed with the rainwater forming pink puddles at her feet. Her ankle was at a rather unnatural angle and a dull ache was shooting up her leg.

"Shit," she said again, wiping her soaking hair away from her face as she assessed the damage. She tugged off the other shoe and tossed it, along with it's ruined counterpart, into the gutter. She stood, testing her weight on her injured ankle and found it painful but fully functional. She turned to continue her journey down the sidewalk but collided with another wet traveler.

His bow tie hung around his neck, untied, and his white dress shirt was plastered to a finely muscled torso.

"I thought cats hated the water," he said softly, a gentle hand grasping her chin and tilting her head upwards.

"Don't you dare run away again!" she shouted, her fingers clasping his arms so tightly her knuckles turned white and her nails cut bloody scratches in her palms. "If you even think about bolting I will shove my shoe so far up your ass it will pierce your goddamn brain!"

"After you retrieve it from the gutter of course," he reminded her, a smile dancing briefly across his face.

"What the hell are we doing Alec?" Max asked, ignoring his weak attempt at humor, "Both of us are past this, we can't go on pretending that nothing's changed when we both know damn well that everything has."

"Straight to the point huh?" Alec said with an uneasy laugh. This was a confrontation he had been trying desperately to avoid and now that it was inevitable he found himself totally unprepared. 

"I thought I could do this," he finally sighed, "This city, as dirty and cold as it is, is my home now. I didn't want to let one girl chase me out of it. Especially not the girl who chased me out of one already. I thought I could come back here and pretend nothing had happened, that I could slide back into the role of smartass partner and part-time friend… but I can't," he finished, regarding Max sadly. "I can't. Seeing you tonight and being with you makes me realize how misguided this return was."

"So you run away?" Max asked with more than a degree of disbelief, "You're a genetically engineered solider Alec, you're too tough to run away when things get tough. That's my job." Max shot the blonde a shaky smile, rasing her hand to his cheek to brush away the rain that was dripping down his face. "I don't want to chase you away from everything Alec I'm sure-"

"I love you." The admission seemed offhand, almost cavalier in attitude when in reality it had taken months of agonizing preparation, weeks of wording and rewording the confession and then putting off it's delivery until this point. It wasn't the long-winded speech he had prepared; it wasn't even the moment he had planned for. It was seeing her concern for him, it was that he was disillusioned enough to think that a mutual feeling was what made her keep chasing him, that finally wrenched the words from their uneasy resting place in him.

"When?" Max asked, her voice deceptively unaffected but her eyes reflected the inner battle that was raging.

"When I realized that the best lap dance I ever had was you running your hands through my hair," he replied with a soft laugh as he reflected back on the fateful event. "Look I don't expect you to answer I don't even expect you to understand," he continued, fear and a new emotion that Max couldn't quite identify, shining in his eyes, "In fact to be perfectly honest I'm having a hard time understanding this myself. You are a controlling, vindictive, bitch who has made my life a living hell since I met her. You are the epitome of everything I hate and abhor yet you managed to-,"

"Alec," Max shouted repaying the favor of interruption, "For once in your pathetic excuse of a life could you shut the hell up?!" Alec's mouth snapped shut and he focused his attention solely on her for the first time that night. He had laid his heart on the line and was expecting a letdown… it looked like he wasn't going to be disappointed.

"You are a egotistical sociopath who prefers casual sex to meaningful relationships," she began, her tone rising to indicate the beginning of a rant. "Your morals and values are so disgustingly perverted even I struggle to understand them. You would probably break my heart over and over and cause more pain than you're worth. You're a narcissistic jackass who should be locked up to keep you from inflicting further damage on society.  You're cocky and hotheaded and you have a horrible singing voice," she snapped, "Of course I fell head over heels." Her somewhat unconventional declaration of love finished, Max took the opportunity to gage Alec's reaction. She watched a barrage of emotions flit across his handsome face in quick succession, sadness gave way to confusion which was shoved aside by surprise which was finally edged out by an expression of joy that stretched his mouth into a giddily toothy smile and lit up his eyes with that playful amusement that she had come to love. 

The pair had kissed before of course, there had been the near kiss following the puppet fiasco, a brushing of lips when she was sick, and then that heated kiss in the kitchen that served as a catalyst for the subsequent heartbreak. This kiss was different. This kiss was tentative, testing the waters and finding them perfect. This was marking a beginning of something that both of them deserved so much, a touching of souls. Alec was the first to pull away, his smile less goofy and more satisfied. Max gave a small cry of disappointment at the well-timed termination of the kiss. 

"When?" Alec asked, his sexily amused voice held a teasing lilt. He brushed his lips lightly against hers, tugging lightly on her bottom lip with his teeth but pulled away before she could deepen the kiss.

"You haven't answered my question yet," he reminded her, his eyes twinkling gleefully at his newfound source of power. Max scowled playfully, her lip jutting out in a convincing pout.

"I think," she began pausing to lay a gentle kiss on his cheek, "it was when you brought out that hand puppet. I finally got to see through that smart-ass tough-guy façade and I loved what I saw." This time the kiss landed on his lips and Alec made no motion to pull away. The scene was movie-like in quality, the rain pounding down with torrential force around a couple who appeared completely unaware to the world around them giving the whole experience a quality that was more than a little surreal. The kind of moment when time slows and the heroes finally get that happily ever after they've been fighting for through the course of the movie. The ending they deserved.

~~~

Epilogue: 3 Months Later

~~~

"Here comes the bride, all dressed in white" 

Max tapped the bouquet of flowers on her knee as she sweated through the most annoying part of a wedding. The waiting. O.C. sat across the room, tugging at the sleeve of what was probably the ugliest bridesmaid's dress to come into existence.

A sickening shade of Pepto-Bismol pink it was slightly reminiscent to the dress worn by the good witch in the Wizard of Oz. Layers of lace dotted by sporadic pink bows with a matching corsage that was most defiantly the most horrific piece of frou-frou Max had ever laid eyes on. And it itched, she added mentally, scratching at the neckline of the dress. Of course Sketchy had loved them.

Max had been too caught up in her own romantic struggles to notice that one of her best friends had turned into a lovesick puppy. A puppy who coughed up the money for a ring and proposed two months ago. She had checked up on the girl and found her acceptable. Sure she wasn't good enough for her friend but no one ever would be. As annoying as Sketchy was he was a loyal friend and she had become rather attached to him.

The bride-to-be was chatting excitedly with the maid of honor, her only addition to the bridal party, when the wedding march was heard. There was a flurry of excitement and the group started their trek down the aisle. Max glanced around the surprisingly crowded church before she locked eyes with the most gorgeous man in the building. As the groom's best friend he was the best man, standing just to the right of a frazzled Sketchy. His blue eyes lit up when he saw her and flashed a smile in her direction, winking reassuringly. Max felt her insides turn to mush and had to suppress the urge to run up to him and prove to the entire company that that gorgeous man was all hers.

The ceremony passed, uneventfully and even Max felt tears threatening when the new couple shared a kiss. The church began to empty, the guests filing out and entering their respective cars to head to the reception. Max felt a pair of strong arms circle her waist and she leaned back into the embrace. 

"Lets split," Alec suggested, "What do you say."

They had long ago sorted out all his worries about her residual feelings towards Logan and Alec proved to be the most loving person she had ever met. Devoted while not reaching that spookily obsessive phase that Logan had always resided in.

"And miss the party?" Max asked, turning to face him without breaking the embrace, her face contorted with mock horror. 

"Well you know if we go to the party the best man is required to dance with the maid of honor," he reminded her, with devilish glee. "And if I'm not mistaken the maid of honor was quite the attractive blonde."

Max regarded him skeptically before running a newly manicured finger down his chest, "What' do you say we skip the reception."

"But they'll be expecting us to go," Alec said stringing her along a little longer.

"We had car troubles," Max said, her fingers reaching up to loosen the constricting bow tie.

"But we didn't," Alec taunted, placing a soft kiss on her lips, as she dragged him to the car.

"Well," Max said with a smile, "let's pretend."

~~~

THE END (finally)

~~~


End file.
